Many available hydropower sites in the USA and globally have environmental and social sustainability challenges that can be partly addressed by run-of-the-river (ROR) projects, considered environmentally friendly because of their modest impoundments and imposition of minimal downstream hydrographic changes. Cost is one of the major problems with harnessing this potential. Installation costs (usually expressed as ICC, or initial capital cost) represent a significant contribution to the cost of energy developed over the lifetime of a hydropower installation. It represents a critical barrier to the development of many low-head and low-power sites. However, most low-head power installations take years to deploy, also inflating costs, and when removed leave behind a lasting environmental impact.